Digital Cameras Q&A

Answers to common questions: Casio QV-10 Videoconferencing with Digital Cameras.

Q: Can a digital camera with an LCD viewfinder double as a videoconferencing "QuickCam"?

A: Yes, many digital cams have analog video out, and will work this way. You must check that the video out is active while the camera is in "viewfinding" mode, and not just (captured) image playback mode. Any electronics store that sells TVs or VCRs could help you determine this.   And this isn't a high-end feature, either. Even the inexpensive Casio QV series of cams (some of which sell for well under $300) can do it, as can almost any cam with an analog video output. Please double-check with the manufacturers' websites for some additional possibilities.

There is another issue, too. Videoconferencing cameras are often optimized to take pictures with less bits in them, to speed transmissions. With a regular digital or analog camera, you want high-fidelity images, but when transmitting bits, this is not always desirable. To see what I mean, take a look at the images in pics/GVC-video.

This page explains what's going on (I hope.) Now, this might just be a lousy camera, but such deliberate posterization suggests there is a circuit at work there.

Other commonly available webcams include the US$99 Creative Labs Webcam 2, the Logitech QuickCam (formerly marketed by Connectix), and products from Zoltrix, Intel and others. Most are priced around $100.